Manager disputes testimony in Stanislaus County lawsuit

Lydia Lopez was upset at being transferred from the sheriff's drug unit two years ago but said nothing about then-Sgt. Bill Pooley, a Stanislaus County clerking manager testified Tuesday.

Lopez, 36, of Ceres is suing the county and Pooley, saying management retaliated against her after she alleged that he made sexual advances toward her.

Records manager Sue Harper said Lopez never mentioned Pooley when Lopez asked why she was being transferred, countering Lopez's contention that Pooley influenced the move out of spite. Lopez's attorney has portrayed the transfer as the first in a series of punitive steps against his client that resulted in her quitting and facing homelessness, while Pooley was promoted to police chief in Riverbank, a city that contracts with the county for law enforcement.

Witnesses called by the county Tuesday said management tried to accommodate work restrictions ordered by Lopez's doctor even though they didn't know she suffered from depression.

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